Orthopedic chair



Nov. 29, 1966 D. B. CERF 3,288,525

ORTHOPEDI C CHAIR Filed May 17, 1965 INVENTOR. 3 00mm 8- C6 UnitedStates Patent M 3,288,525 ORTHDPEDIC CHAIR Donald B. Cerf, 309 E. LiveOak, San Gabriel, Calif. Filed May 17, 1965, Ser. No. 456,352

Claims. (Cl. 297284) This invention relates generally to chairstructures, and in particular to an orthopedic chair having a seat and aback whose contours are adjustable to conform these elements to thespecial requirement of an occupant.

The conventional baby chair is constituted by a seat, a back and sidearms, the chair usually including a foot rest and a safety belt to strapthe child within the chair. It is desirable from the orthopedicstandpoint, for the child to maintain an erect posture within the chair,for prolonged slumping may lead to deformity. But the spine of a baby isso flexible and almost rubber-like that he literally collapses in anunsupported chair of ordinary design, and all that restrains him fromsliding completely out of his seat is the safety belt. This problem isencountered not merely in very young infants, but also in babies up tothe age of twenty-four months.

Heretofore, attempts have been made to shape the chair to conform to thecontour of a user. However, While it is possible to impart a contour toa chair suitable for a particular child or older person, this contourmay not be appropriate to another person or to the child as he grows andchanges in contour.

Accordingly, it is the major object of this invention to provide anorthopedic chair whose seat and back have a contour which is readilyadaptable to conform these elements to the unique requirement of aparticular user. While the invention will be described in the context ofa baby chair, it will be appreciated that the underlying principlesthereof are fully applicable to orthopedic chairs of larger sizeintended for older children or adults.

More specifically, the object of this invention is to provide a chairwhose seat and back have a contour which may be conformed exactly to theposterior and spinal curvature of a particular user, whereby the seatedindividual is properly supported in a comfortable and orthopedicallyapproved posture.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a chair of theabove-described type which is of strong and long lasting constructionand yet may be manufactured and sold at relatively low cost.

Briefly stated, these objects are accomplished in a chair whosecushioned seat and back are constituted by a rigid backing and aflexible diaphragm, between which is sandwiched a layer of elastomericmaterial, such as foam rubber, means being provided to impart acurvature to the diaphragm producing the desired contour.

For a better understanding of the invention, as well as other objectsand further features thereof, reference is made to the followingdetailed specification to be read in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing, wherein like elements in the several views are identified bylike reference numerals.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a chair in accordance with theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the chair, with the side armsomitted;

FIG. 3 is a section taken through the back of the chair in the planeindicated by line 33 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section taken through the plane indicated by lines 44 inFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows schematically the contour imparted to the chair seat andback for an infant of relatively large size;

FIG. 6 shows the contour imparted to the same chair for an infant ofsmaller size; and

3,288,525 Patented Nov. 29, 1966 FIG. 7 shows a child in a conventionalchair.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 7 whichshows an infant F in a conventional chair having a flat seat S and astraight back B, as well as a foot rest R, it will be seen that sincetheinfant is unsupported he occupies the chair in a slumped position,with a pronounced curvature to his spine. Orthopedically, this positionis highly undesirable. Moreover, unless the infant is strapped to thechair, there is a likelihood that he will slide out of the chair andpossibly injure himself.

We shall now consider a chair in accordance with the invention, as shownin FIGS. 1 to 4, and as represented schematically in FIGS. 5 and 6. Theorthopedic chair is constituted by a seat, generally designated bynumeral 10, a back 11, side arms 12 and 13 and a foot rest 14, which ICCis only partially shown.

1 whereas the stuffed section 15 may be filled with cotton batting 16 orsimilar material and covered with leather.

Within the arms of the stuffed section 15 there is placed an insertconstituted by a diphragm 17 of flat spring material, which may be ofsheet metal or plastic, the diaphragm being covered with a ribbed pad18. Interposed between the diaphragm and the backing is a layer 19 ofelastomeric material, which may be polyurethane, polyvinyl or rubberfoam. Because of the compressible nature of the foam, it fills the spacebehind the diaphragm, regardless of how the diaphragm is contoured.

Attached to the rear of the diaphragm 17 at vertically spaced positionsare three coupling plates 20, 21 and 22 having channels indentedtherein. Extending rearwardly from these plates are threaded rods 23, 24and 25 whose ends are keyed to the channel portions of the plates, therods passing through internally threaded inserts 26, 27 and 23 embeddedin the backing and terminating in control knobs 29, 30 and 31.

Thus by rotating each of the knobs 29, 30 and 31, the portion of thediaphragm which is operatively coupled thereto by the associated rod iscaused to be flexed outwardly or inwardly, depending on the direct-ionof rotation. In this way, since the three rods are disposed at thecenter and adjacent the upper and lower ends of the diaphragm,respectively, the diaphragm may be caused to assume variousconfigurations, depending on the relative adjustment of the rods.

For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the diaphragm and hence that portion ofthe chair back which engages the back of the child may be caused toassume a concave configuration. On the other hand, as shownschematically in FIG. 6, the back may be contoured to follow the backcurvature of a relatively large infant, with the upper rod causing thediaphragm to conform to the small of the back of the infant, with theother rods adjusted accordingly. But in FIG. 6, with a shorter infant,it is the center rod which is turned in to the greatest extent in orderto accommodate the small of the back which occupies a lower positionthan in FIG. 5.

It will be seen that the back 11 is pivotally connected to the seat 10'by hinge 32, the angular position of the back being adjustable toprovide the most comfortable seating arrangement. The seat constructionis similar to that of the back, and is therefore not shown in detail. Itdiffers from the back mainly in the fact that in lieu of three adjustingrods, only one, 34, need be provided, in order, as shown in FIGS. 3, 5and 6, to raise a portion of the seat to an extent forming a concavityto receive the posterior of the occupant. The angle of the foot rest 14may also be made adjustable.

Thus it becomes possible to adjust the curvature both of the seat andthe back and thereby contour the chair to conform to the needs of theoccupant.

While there has been shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, itwill be obvious that many changes may be made therein without departingfrom the essential features of the invention as defined in the annexedclaims.

What I claim is:

1. An orthopedic chair having a seat and a back, said seat and said backeach having a cont-curable portion constituted by a rigid backing, 1aflexible diaphragm and an elastomeric layer interposed therebetween, andmeans to impart a curvature to the diaphragm producing a desired contourappropriate to a particular occupant, said means acting on the diaphragmon the back being constituted by a plurality of rods coupled at spacedpositions to said diaphragm and projecting rearwardly through the rigidbacking, the axial positions of said rods with respect to said rigidbacking being adjustable to impart a curvature to said diaphragm whoseprofile conforms to the back curvature of the occupant.

2. A chair as set forth in claim 1, wherein said diaphragm is of flatspring metal.

3. A chair as set forth in claim 1, wherein said layer is formed ofpolyurethane foam.

4. A chair as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said rods isconstituted by a threaded rod, one end of which is coupled to saiddiaphragm, the rod rearward ly passing through said backing andterminating in a control knob.

5. A chair :as set forth in claim 1, further including an adjustablefoot rest.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,527,754 2/1925Simon 128-44 2,139,028 12/1938 Mensendicck et a1. 297284 2,664,14312/1953 Li Calsi 297-154 X 2,991,124 7/1961 Schwarz 297284 3,095,1886/1963 Giese 297460 X 3,112,137 11/1963 Drenth 297--284 3,155,42511/1964 Chreist 297254 X 3,198,578 8/1965 Geoffrey et .al. 297456FOREIGN PATENTS 557,421 5/ 1957 Belgium.

939,909 9/1961 Great Britain.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Examiner.

1. AN ORTHOPEDIC CHAIR HAVING A SEAT AND A BACK, SAID SEAT AND SAID BACKEACH HAVING A CONTOURABLE PORTION CONSTITUTED BY A RIGID BACKING, AFELXIBLE DIAPHRAGM AND AN ELASTOMERIC LAYER INTERPOSED THEREBETWEEN, ANDMEANS TO IMPART A CURVATURE TO THE DIAPHRAGM PRODUCING A DESIRED CONTOURAPPROPRIATE TO A PARTICULAR OCCUPANT, SAID MEANS ACTING ON THE DIAPHRAGMON THE BACK BEING CONSTITUATED BY A PLURALITY OF RODS COUPLED AT SPACEDPOSITIONS TO SAID DIAPHRAGM AND PROJECTING REARWARDLY THROUGH THE RIGIDBACKING, THE AXIAL POSITIONS OF SAID RODS WITH RESPECT TO SAID RIGIDBACKING BEING ADJUSTABLE TO IMPART A CURVATURE TO SAID DIAPHRAGM WHOSEPROFILE CONFORMS TO THE BACK CURVATURE OF THE OCCUPANT.